jnbwilds

My instructions are to eat normally before and do liquids for 48 hrs after. My first fill I actually chose to do liquids for 24 hours beforehand because I'd seen people here on the forum who had to do that. I regretted it because combined with the liquids after - I was starving!! I have my second fill coming up tomorrow and this time - I'll do like Angie and eat something filling but lite, maybe cottage cheese and fruit before my fill!

Congratulations on the weight loss! That is excellent! Try to stay on those liquids for the next day or so - it will help your stomach heal from the adjustment. I actually like going on liquids after a fill - I can always count on losing around 5 lbs that week because I'm returning basically to the pre-op diet for a few days!

Not for me - I'm still good friends with Prozac. I believe that my weight problem was a result of my anxiety, and not the other way around. Before, at my highest weight I worried about my heart, I worried that my husband wouldn't be attracted to me, I worried about getting on airplanes. Now, I feel much better physically already, but my silly brain still wants something to worry about - so I've substituted worrying about money, worrying about when (or if) my toddler will ever use the potty, oh and just for good measure I've become a complete hypochondriac. So stick with the anti-depressant - and hopefully you will be able to get off of some meds for other weight related problems.

Good news!!! You can skip most of this time-consuming, annoying stuff! (if you self-pay that is.....) I know it is a pain, and I was happy to be able to miss most of it - but I would much rather have gone through all the appointments and tests AND had my insurance pay for even a little smidge of the cost. Hang in there!

This is such a common thing! I've always been the big one in my family. My mom and sister have always been normal weight, and both are totally supportive of me and the band. But to my surprise, once I started losing weight, they both went on diets! Suddenly, they're telling me about their exercise, or what new diet recipe they're trying. Maybe it's an attempt to have something in common?? But frankly - thin people on diets have always just annoyed me. (hee hee!) So - I make my support group other banded friends. Through my doctor's support group - I've made local friends who totally get my journey - we can exercise together, get together for coffee, chat, shop, vent, etc. - and I know I am with people who understand. Don't get me wrong - my family has been great - but there can be a lot of competition baggage that creeps up in family relationships!!

Welcome to the forum! Stay positive and motivated - you are doing great so far!

I guess I took an "in-between" approach to telling people. Other than family and close friends, I didn't tell anyone BEFORE the surgery. I was nervous enough as it was - and frankly, I was afraid it would fail just like every other diet. However, I didn't want to be dishonest - so I promised myself that if anyone asked - I would tell the truth. A few weeks after surgery - it started to show. Now, at 50 lbs gone - people are noticing left and right. So, of course they say, "Wow, what are you doing?", and I say, "Well, I had lap band surgery in February, and it is helping me to eat less and be full longer. I'm really happy with it so far - thanks for noticing my hard work!" I have NEVER had anyone make a negative comment after that - and I've probably told 100 people at this point. Who will say something unkind when it is obvious that it has WORKED!! Yay! I do think it is the obligation of lap band patients to educate others. Remember - most naysayers either 1) Don't know what they are talking about and need our help to learn, or 2) Are confusing lap band with gastric bypass, or 3) Are fat themselves and are jealous that we are "leaving the club". So hold your head up high - bask in the support of those who really love you, and patiently educate those who need your help.

Melissa - you look incredible! What a big difference! Great work!

Darn it. I hate this confessions thread - but I love the accountability. Ok, Thursday night I went to a Sweeney Todd party with a bunch of girlfriends. We all brought "Sweeney Todd" type treats, like Blood punch, and meat pies, and 'finger' sandwiches. I knew there would be temptations - so I brought tomatoes and fresh mozerella (Flesh and Bones), so I would have something healthy to eat. Here's what I ate instead: Chocolate cake (2 pieces), about 8 strawberries dipped in the chocolate fountain, 1 huge piece of meat pie, pepper strips dipped in ranch dressing, and 2 cups of coffee. Oh - plus some of the cheese and tomato stuff I brought. I excused this because I had weighed in at my doctor's earlier and had passed the "50 lbs lost" mark. As a warning - it was fun for a while - but then I felt like crap. I was way too full, and my body completely hated all that fat and sugar. I had wicked burps for 12 hours afterwards. Not worth it at all.

Aha! We have the same doctor! Have you been to group yet? Have we met? Yes, Dr. McEwen let me set my goal as well, but told me I was probably being a little conservative. But I'd rather go back later and make the goal more agressive than not hit it at all!

I think it is fair to say that the band is not working at it's optimum efficacy until after you have had a few adjustments. However, I personally did have SOME restriction from the band, and from the post-surgery swelling. Between the month before and the month after surgery, I lost about 35 lbs. Not too shabby, really. But it is true that the band isn't helping you as much in the first month as it will later.

Kelly dear, I don't mean to be unkind, but what you are talking about is not a little white lie - it is insurance fraud. And you've kind of just put in writing on a public forum that you are thinking about defrauding your insurance company. Eeek! I hightly encourage you to get through the diet. It really, really will help you prepare for the band. Getting on the operating table doesn't fix everything, I promise you. It is still hard after the band to diet and exercise. If you work on the supervised diet, it will help you build habits that will make you much more successful. I think most bandsters on this forum would agree! Hang in there!

I did a 4 week post op - first 2 weeks on South Beach Diet, second 2 weeks on Atkins Advantage shakes. I lost 27 lbs total.

Great questions! Don't think I have seen those yet? I might avoid the kick-boxing. I don't think you could actually do damage to the port or band, but your port is right under your skin and it is just a bit tender if it gets bumped. I have a 3 year old who likes to launch himself onto me and several times his 40 lb self has landed on my port and it is kind of like getting hit on an existing bruise. Nope - never felt any tubing. The port is easy to feel, but no swishing tubing. I think things are pretty packed tight in the belly area. Good luck!

Well hello friends. Great thread Angie! I'm doing really well so far - I told my hubby the other day that I feel like I've had a "brochure" experience with the band - meaning that everything has worked out as I've hoped so far. I hit the 50 lb loss mark the other day and am SO exicted (although I now have to go to the "confessions" thread to discuss what I did as a reward for losing 50 lbs.) I haven't had any PB's, no sliming, no nausea - I'm feeling pretty lucky. And don't tell my doctor - but so far I haven't done formal exercise! I am definately more active now that I can make a mile walk without getting winded, but it's not like I'm hitting the gym or anything. I really do feel like the band controls my hunger. And I've been low-carbing long enough that I really don't miss bread or sugar anymore. I ate a bunch of crap at a friend's party last night (my "reward") - stuff like cake and fries and veggies/dip, fruit dipped in chocolate, etc. And it was fun for about the first 10 minutes, and then I felt full, gassy, and on an insulin rush. Had I actually been living like that all the time before the band? Anyway - my only regret is not getting this thing sooner!! My goals for April are to get under 230 and to start exercising a minimum of 2 times a week for at least 20 minutes. Ooh - and so looking forward to second fill next Wednesday!! I hear that the second fill gets a lot of people to their sweet spot. And for anyone who saw the first video blog on youtube - we will post the second update this afternoon (just search Becca's Band Blog on youtube). The third update will actually be video of my fill next Wednesday! Hang in there all! It is awesome just to flip through this thread and add up the weight lost on all of our tickers!!! Do you realize we have lost several hundred pounds between us all??

I'm sure it means different things to different people, but here are a few things to consider. First, many doctors do not put saline in the band when they first do the surgery. This means the band is "unfilled". So, after the swelling goes down, many individuals with the band do experience hunger because what they eat is going down easily. Also, it is easier early on to eat foods that will be troublesome after a few adjustments. However, I personally have never felt like I could "eat anything I wanted" after I had the band placed....thank goodness. Eating anything I wanted was the very thing that got me obese in the first place. What a person can eat depends on the individual, the amount of Fluid in their band, and, of course, how well they chew their food.

Anyone else have that box or bag filled with your "skinny clothes" that you put away years ago because you figured you couldn't wear them, but you couldn't bear to throw them away? Pulled that box out of the corner of my closet this past weekend - and I fit into every single thing. I have apparently gone from a size 24 to a size 18 in the last 3 months. WooHoo!!!

I'm 2 months after surgery and it has taken that whole time to regulate my bowels. I would get really stopped up and then take too many laxatives and have the opposite problem. The major changes in diet can cause irritable bowel type symptoms. I know that what eventually works is different for everyone - but here's the magic formula that finally got me regular. I make a hot cup of decaf coffee every morning. I put half an envelope of carnation instant Breakfast and a tablespoon of Benefiber into the coffee. In the last 2 weeks - that has been my breakfast every morning and within 30 minutes of my coffee, we get action. I'm not sure if its the hot beverage or the benefiber that has things normal again - but I don't want to mess with the formula! Best of luck - this can be a frustrating problem.

Ok, this thread is stinkin' hilarious. Partly because we are on our way to never having to deal with these things again. And partly because it is so comforting to know that I am NOT the only person that has had to deal with this kind of humiliation. Since chair mishaps are the theme of the day, I've got a fun one. Last year we took the family to an air show. We carried along our canvas folding chairs - you know the kind you put in the bag and carry over your shoulder. Hey - did you know those have a weight limit of 200 lbs? Yeah - I learned that the hard way. In a field full of hundreds of people, I plop down in mine, and with a spray of cracking plastic, the legs crumble under me and suddenly I'm sitting in the dirt on top of the remains of a nice blue folding chair. My husband, the gentleman does not laugh, but stands, helps me up and offers me his chair. The real fun started when hubby and I went to replace the thing before our beach vacation last summer. This time, I check the weight limit. So...I decide I am stuck with buying the folding chair sold under the name "Big Boy". Nice - someone needs to fire the marketing genius at that company. This chair (with sturdy metal legs) and a wide canvas bottom carries a weight limit of 350 instead of 200. "Aha" I thought at the time, "This will work....I could gain another 70 lbs and still fit in this chair - certainly I'm safe for another year at least". So I picked one out (they only offered camoflauge colors - orange, brown, green - since clearly only burly hunters could possibly weigh over 200 lbs). I made my husband buy a matching chair, although he wanted a nice regular one with a foot rest. This lead to a fun discussion in the store. Hubby - I don't want the Big Boy one. I like that one over there better. Me - Um....do you think I'm going to sit in the 'fat arse' chair while you sit in the normal one. Hubby - who's going to notice? Me - I would, of course. Plus, did you see that 200 lb limit? Did you suddenly drop 20 lbs on the ride over here today? Hubby - Hey now!! I won in the end - so now there are 2 "Big Boy" folding chairs in our garage. This summer, I'll have room for me and my beach bag.

Good grief. Why must I always misspell "lap band". My fingers just want to type double b's. Grrrrr.

I've just started a video blog about my lap band experience on youtube. Actually I think I'm a better writer than I am camera fodder, but I felt like there were so many really great weight loss blogs out there (i.e. the fantastic Dietgirl, and hilarious Half of Me) and I only found a few lab band related video blogs. So at my doc's suggestion, I started the youtube blog, which I hope to update weekly. BTW - I agree about the blog area on LBT - this is a great forum, but not so great as a blog hosting site. You take take a little peeky at my intro video here. I plan to show off my pretty scars on this upcoming weekend's update. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NskJPWWsOSE]YouTube - BECCA'S BAND BLOG FOR BANDED BY MCEWEN[/ame]

Slurp, slurp (that's me tapping into the huge mug of coffee next to me as I type). Yep - my nutritionist said to stay away from the stuff just because it "can" be an appetite stimulant, it doesn't do you any favors in the heartburn department and caffeine just plain isn't good for us. So, after 4 weeks of going cold turkey before and after surgery, I went back to it. Here's how I compromise with my "new brew". I make either decaf or half caf coffee and limit myself to one large mug in the morning. I put half of a packet of carnation instant Breakfast, a tablespoon of Benefiber and a tablespoon of powdered multi Vitamin in the bottom of my mug, pour in the half caf, and a splash of fat free creamer. It actually is my breakfast (since band is usually tight in the morning and does not like heavy food). Here's what it does for me - first, keeps me regular since I've had some post-band stoppage...second, keeps me from feeling deprived in the caffeine area...third, keeps me full til lunchtime with the added inst. breakfast and Fiber. So far no problems.

Yesterday my husband said that my boobs now stick out further than my stomach. I must now take a side photo of myself to see if this is true - but if it is....hooray!

Please do join us! I've lurked around on other support groups on the forum, and honestly, this is the best one! (don't tell 'em I said so). If I hadn't had my surgery in February, I would have pretended I did just so I could join the double V's.

EVERYBODY CALLS ME: Becca MY PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE: Husband Jason, 2 boys Brayton (8) & Christian (3) NON-HUMAN FAMILY CONSISTS OF: Sam, the big dumb dog (black lab) and Cayla (the Sam-hating cat) I LIVE IN: Indianapolis OCCUPATION(S): HR Director (for which I get paid) / Mom, Housecleaner and Weight Loss Diva (all volunteer) AVOCATION(S): Reading (read 125 books last year - including almost all classics I had not yet read). Used to scrapbook like a mad thing, but golly that takes time!! FAVORITE EXERCISE: Ummmm....what was the question? Oh yeah...well, does makin' sweet love with my husband count??? I COLLECT: Dept. 56 Dicken's Village Lighted Houses. As a teenager, I worked in a beautiful Christmas store for a few years, and used to say to myself, "gosh darnit, when I grow up I'm gonna buy myself some of those pretty things." I now have about 20.